04 Assignment - Dynamic Processors

PowerPoint Presentation: Dynamic Processors Concept , Threshold , Ratio , Attack and Release by Leonardo Pereira Introduction to Music Production Assignment IV
PowerPoint Presentation: Dynamic processors are... ... every piece of equipment designed to process the amplitude of an audio signal ... used to increase or decrease the perceived volume of a recording ... effects like compressors , limiters , gates and expanders Normally , an audio signal goes through the input, to the gain control and exits through the output. A dynamic processor functions as a side-chain , which detects the audio input and controls the volume of the signal .
PowerPoint Presentation: Threshold , Ratio , Attack and Release These are the parameters you need to set when using a dynamic processor . Threshold It sets the level on which the processor will start to work It is represented in decibels (dB) Ratio It controls how much of the signal will be turned down It is the relationship between LEVEL OF INPUT and LEVEL OF OUTPUT A 2:1 ratio means that for each 2dB of input, there will be 1dB of output Attack It is how fast the processor will react to a signal going up and reaching the threshold The lower the attack time, the faster the reaction will be Release It is how long the processor will hold the signal level before it goes down The higher the release time, the slower it will go down
PowerPoint Presentation: ...are used to even out the audio signals , so all parts of a recording have similar amount of amplitude ...start working by not allowing the signal levels to exceed a set threshold For example : if there’s a 6dB threshold , every signal level above that will be brought down or “ compressed ” Compressors ... Limiters ... ...are like compressors , but with a much more “ agressive ” ratio . Compressors become limiters if they have ratios above 10:1. ...are used when an audio signal has an extreme level of amplitude and needs to be brought down Gates... ...” turns off” the level of a signal once it falls below the set threshold ...are frequently used to get rid of unwanted noises that might be recorded to a track If the track has an average amplitude of -6dB and you set the threshold at -4dB, everything that reaches that threshold will not be audible
PowerPoint Presentation: ... complement the compressors , by increasing the dynamic range ... reduces the gain for signals below the threshold ... could be used to make low level signals less audible Expanders ... This is how these effects controls look like on Cubase LE 5, my reference DAW: You can select the type of effect you want and then change the settings on the virtual knobs above .
PowerPoint Presentation: Thanks for checking my presentation ! Feel free to comment or make any corrections . A few references : Nice website with quick explanations : http://www.recordinginstitute.com/da154/ARP/chap3Sig/asp2.html A more detailed one , with some complex information : http://rane.com/note155.html Both helped me prepare this material!